Cars In Barns

[TAKerry]

Not asking for anyone to reveal their sources or 'honey pots', but do you guys and gals know of a place that is known to be hiding an old car in your area.

 

I was reminded driving down the road today passing a couple of derelict looking garages. The owner had several Model T's, had passed away a number of years now and last I talked to someone all of the cars and parts are still there. By pure coincidence, his son in law (now in his mid 80s) lived a couple of houses down. I was at his place about 3 or 4 years ago and he has a 68 camaro that was drag raced in the 70's parked in a shed behind his house.  I live in a rural area, but these guys were pretty well known. My guess everyone else knows about these cars as well, and we all think its a secret!

[BobinVirginia]

I’ve heard tales of a barn near my father in-law. It’s said to hold a 63 dual quad 409 SS Impala, 63 Tri-Power Catalina and a 65 Tri-power GTO 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by BobinVirginia (see edit history)

[edinmass]

1930 Pierce......the barn was falling down.

[Grimy]

7 minutes ago, edinmass said:

1930 Pierce......the barn was falling down.

You can buff it out, Ed!

[edinmass]

This was a decent barn........rebuilt in the 70’s when the car was parked.

[edinmass]

This was in a barn, and then left outside it for ten years under a tarp.

[alsancle]

1 minute ago, edinmass said:

This was a decent barn........rebuilt in the 70’s when the car was parked.

 

Have you heard from that guy?   I like that car,  it looked great with wire wheels.

 

[edinmass]

I was lucky enough to be involved in the best barn find hands down in the last fifty years. I didn’t find it.....but was the guy sent to make the recovery.......which was difficult and complicated. Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to post photos of it........several members here know about it.

Edited March 9, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[alsancle]

Ed,  It isn't a barn find if guys in the know knew about it.

 

This was a real barn find,  because NOBODY knew about it.

[edinmass]

1 minute ago, alsancle said:

Ed,  It isn't a barn find if guys in the know knew about it.

 

This was a real barn find,  because NOBODY knew about it.

Yup........real barn find.......that I was the impetus to make it happen. 🤫

[Rusty_OToole]

I knew an old boy, who recently passed away, who really got around the old car hobby. He took me to see a number of collectors who were unknown to me and to most other people. One was an ex Studebaker dealer who had a dozen old Studes including a 1932 Rockne and a 1947 Commander convertible he bought new and drove on his honeymoon. Another had about 20 cars in a pole barn. I remember an Auburn, 1948 Lincoln Continental, there were many others from the thirties forties and fifties. None of these guys attended car shows and they seldom took their cars out, they were known to a few other old timers and that was it.

All you can do is ask around and get to know all the old timers. They may be standoffish at first but thaw out once you talk to them for a while. Showing an interest, and respect helps and so does an introduction from someone they know.

[Ed Luddy]

I've been involved in a few finds over the years and I'm going to see another this week. A 1963 Studebaker Avanti. I will report back. Today I went to retrieve a "garage find" my friend bought. I went along to verify some details, etc. Then later this afternoon we went to get a 1978 VW convertible out of a barn, but I will post pic's of it tomorrow.

[Akstraw]

Seems like every time I go to a car show or cruise-in, I meet somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who has a Mercedes gull wing or a Dodge Daytona in a barn.  Next time, I’ll get a phone number for you...

[nick8086]

Join a car club.. You may find networking helps..

 

Most tours take you to private collection..

[jensenracing77]

I have been lucky enough to drag many cars from many barns over the past 12 years. Even had Ryan Brutt come document one of them I drug out of a barn in Iowa. I know of others still that are not for sale. There are still cars out there to be found but not nearly as many as there use to be. 

[JFranklin]

I plan to have a film crew present when my nephew takes his newly inherited 1967 Mustang Fastback out of the barn it was stashed in when his father went off to the Vietnam war. 

[Restorer32]

I was told about an unmolested Volare in a barn.  I always wanted a Volare but when I got there it was a Ferrari.  Boy was I disappointed.  That was a poor attempt at humor but I do know of a barn in Lancaster County, PA that held a '64 Ferrari with a racing history that the working class owner had bought off a car lot for $2500 and stashed in the barn where it sat for 40 years or so.  

[jpage]

I know of at least 6 cars squirreled away within 2 blocks from my house . A '32 DeSoto 4 door sedan, a '29 (?) Chandler 4 door sedan, a '47-'48 DeSoto Club Coupe, 1931-31 Model A 4 door sedan( Murry, I think), '51-'52 Ford F1 pickup and I can't remember the specifics on the later model ones. All of them need restored but are in fair shape, and I'm told most are for sale, but asking prices seem high. The '32 Desoto and the Chandler had been running recently. There are lots of old cars around here, but prying them from their owners fingers can be quite a chore, especially at a fair price!

[Mark Wetherbee]

When I lived in central PA many years ago, there were several “rumors” about a Brewster bodied Ford convertible sedan in a falling down garage in Warriors Mark or thereabouts. Just a short time before moving it came up at auction along with several other cars and made pretty good money for its condition. What I remember most from that sale were a pair of Auto Robes made from Zebra furs that I think brought $4000 at that sale, the Brewster was around $25k I think...

Edited March 9, 2021 by Mark Wetherbee (see edit history)

[Porsche 68]

Not a barn find but an under a tarp find  note large carriage house in background 1925 dodge Brothers Cantrell sitting 30 years Runs great repairing some wood going to be my daily driver this summer!

[The 55er]

There are a lot of old cars stashed in barns in Lancaster County, PA. I can personally vouch for well over 100 cars that will be not mine "barn finds" someday and I'm sure there are many more out there in the local area. 

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

I was told about an unmolested Volare in a barn.  I always wanted a Volare but when I got there it was a Ferrari.  Boy was I disappointed.  That was a poor attempt at humor but I do know of a barn in Lancaster County, PA that held a '64 Ferrari with a racing history that the working class owner had bought off a car lot for $2500 and stashed in the barn where it sat for 40 years or so.  

I travel Lanco on just about a weekly basis. I have no idea what youre talking about but would be sure that I have passed it at some time or another.

[TAKerry]

8 minutes ago, The 55er said:

There are a lot of old cars stashed in barns in Lancaster County, PA. I can personally vouch for well over 100 cars that will be not mine "barn finds" someday and I'm sure there are many more out there in the local area. 

I spend as much time there as my home area, I am always looking into corners and crevices along the rides. I know of a guy that has a huge stash of 4 door cars, but other than that I have yet to find anything. I will still keep looking though. I will admit, I dont go out of my way maybe part of the problem.

[TAKerry]

A couple more that came to mind after thinking about it,

 

I do a lot of work for realtors, cleaning and repairing prior to sales. One was a newer  home, the owner had passed away. There was a large pole barn in the back yard, my spidy senses told me it looked like it belonged to a car guy. I looked through the window and lo and behold there was a car under cover, turned out to be a Buick grand national, very low mileage but the victim of poor storage. I made an offer to the heir but 'it was not for sale'.

 

My good friend told me of a tale on his travels in the back woods of West Virginia on a hunting trip he saw a wing sticking out of the weeds. Said it was a superbird, he knew they were valuable but has no interest in cars. I wonder of the validity (no reason not to believe him), and if its still out there someplace.

[The 55er]

8 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I travel Lanco on just about a weekly basis. I have no idea what youre talking about but would be sure that I have passed it at some time or another.

These barn treasures aren't all at the same place, they're at different locations all over the county and they're owned by a bunch of different people. 

[AHa]

"Barn find," is a relative term. Most antique cars are not stored in barns. They are stored in garages. Sometimes those garages are then neglected. The term, however, has been applied to collector's collections in modern steel buildings that are then found by someone who didn't know they were there. Its hard to nail down just what a barn find is. Most of us store our cars in buildings. Anybody could come snoopin around my house and find a few cars stored in buildings. They would be true "barn finds," but I don't approve of people snooping on other people's property to "find" what they have stored. I once had a friend who "came upon" an old barn out in the woods and "found" some very well restored cars. The cars were not lost however and because of my friend's snooping, the owner had to find other storage at great cost and trouble. I have a friend who has a treasure trove of very desirable cars and parts stored in truck trailers out in the middle of a field. They are for all intents and purposes abandoned but not lost. They have an owner who still treasures them though is no longer able to do anything with them. Most anyone could find them and haul them off without anyone paying much attention. The term, barn find, is deeply troubling to me.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by AHa (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

AHa, I think the term is somewhat generic, I suppose my original intent was not really to see what has been recovered as much as if anyone knows of cars that are stored away that are somewhat obscure. What your friend has is exactly my point. 

 

Your 'stored in truck trailers' has reminded me of another in my area. Guy is supposed to have several boss mustangs and mach I's bought when they were still on the cheap. Again, I think most people that know the guy know they are there its just never really talked about for respect of his privacy.

[TerryB]

Kerry, since you are in Lancaster county a lot you probably know of Rt501.  I used to live on that road and my garage doors faced the Highway.  At car gathering I would tell people where I live and many would say, oh you’re the guy with that old truck and Plymouth in the garage.  I never tried to hide them but I was always amazed how observant car guys can be. When I’m out I too keep an eye out for garage or barn finds.  If you traveled Rt501 near Sheafferstown a lot you probably knew of the 1957 Chevy Nomad on a hill above the highway, it was there for many years.

[Porsche 68]

Doing corn inspections in Pa and Mass. usually turns up some cool stuff some totally rusted cars some not 1926 model T sitting since late 60s witch I was able to purchase and a early MGA sitting according to inspection sticker since 73 still trying to track down the owners And a plastic car as well😁.  John

[Restorer32]

Then there is the collection of maybe 200 cars in northern Maryland stuffed in sheds and storage buildings, There are at least 80 Nash Healeys and at least one Spohn bodied car. Long story but a client of ours made a "name your price" offer and was willing and able to pay just about whatever it took for one car and was turned down.  The owner just will not sell anything even though he had four examples of the car our client was after.  All unrestored.  Will be a heck of an auction some day.

[Restorer32]

TAKerry, the Ferrari was in a shed just north of Lititz.  

[TAKerry]

6 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

TAKerry, the Ferrari was in a shed just north of Lititz.  

Were do a trip in that direction soon to get some chocolate! 

 

We head to New Holland, East Earl about every 3 weeks or so to hit the grocery store.

[TAKerry]

19 minutes ago, Porsche 68 said:

Doing corn inspections in Pa and Mass. usually turns up some cool stuff some totally rusted cars some not 1926 model T sitting since late 60s witch I was able to purchase and a early MGA sitting according to inspection sticker since 73 still trying to track down the owners And a plastic car as well😁.  John

Im not really a vette guy ( that was until my buddy let me behind the wheel of his Zo6), but I would love that 65. Clean it and keep it just that way, really cool period car.

[TAKerry]

1 hour ago, TerryB said:

Kerry, since you are in Lancaster county a lot you probably know of Rt501.  I used to live on that road and my garage doors faced the Highway.  At car gathering I would tell people where I live and many would say, oh you’re the guy with that old truck and Plymouth in the garage.  I never tried to hide them but I was always amazed how observant car guys can be. When I’m out I too keep an eye out for garage or barn finds.  If you traveled Rt501 near Sheafferstown a lot you probably knew of the 1957 Chevy Nomad on a hill above the highway, it was there for many years.

I think 501 is north? around lititz?  Im way more familiar with Solanco, and the east side. Get up north once in awhile toward Denver and such on occasion.

[edinmass]

15 hours ago, jensenracing77 said:

I have been lucky enough to drag many cars from many barns over the past 12 years. Even had Ryan Brutt come document one of them I drug out of a barn in Iowa. I know of others still that are not for sale. There are still cars out there to be found but not nearly as many as there use to be. 

Now, for the BIg question...........did you get the Trump sign?

[46 woodie]

With most of the garage/barn find's I encounter, the owner tells me, 'I'm gonna restore that car some day". Same answer every 10 years until the car is basically junk.

[TerryB]

31 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

I think 501 is north? around lititz?  Im way more familiar with Solanco, and the east side. Get up north once in awhile toward Denver and such on occasion.

Yes, it goes from Lancaster to Pine Grove in Schuykill county PA and is the main N/S route. I used to live north of Lititz.

[Matt Harwood]

This was a pretty exciting day for me:

 

     

 

Yes, that's a triple black 1966 Impala SS427 convertible with 28,000 original miles. Here's what we did to it:

 

Not quite a barn but not a regular garage, either. And that first photo is after we did a lot of digging to uncover the cars. There was a ton of garden equipment piled all around them.

 

Man, I want that car back...

[CHuDWah]

This thread reminds me of a line in a Jan & Dean song, "found her in a barn in Tennessee, paid five bucks for my bucket T"  Yeah, I wish!  🤣

[CHuDWah]

6 hours ago, jpage said:

...1931-31 Model A 4 door sedan( Murry, I think)...

 

Door windows is the easiest way to tell - Murray is slightly arched at the top while Briggs is straight.  The exception is 1931 slant-windshield, all of which are all arched.